Dr Michael Stewart (MA, PhD) is a hydrologist and hydraulic modeller with over 22 years of consulting experience.

Michael has recently completed a number of water balance and water quality modelling studies for proposed developments at the EKATI Diamond Mine and has acted as a senior reviewer for hydrological and water quality inputs to EIA’s for major mining projects in Canada and Ireland. Prior to joining Kaya Consulting, Michael led the hydrological sciences team at Rescan Environmental Services Limited in Canada, where he was involved in around 20 EIA’s for mining projects primarily in Canada and Latin America. Michael has undertaken numerous 1D, 2D and 3D hydraulic, water quality and sediment transport modelling studies and he has experience of shoreline and wave assessments, as well as experience of the development of real-time flood warning systems. Michael worked for 2 years in Hydrerabad, India setting up a river and coastal flood warning system for 18 rivers in Andhra Pradesh. Michael has a PhD in landscape evolution modelling (geomorphology including erosion processes and sediment transport) and undertook 3 years of post-doctoral research developing 2-D river models. This work included 2-D floodplain hydraulics, sediment transport modelling and linkage with 3-D groundwater models.

Dr Sally Stewart (BSc, MSc, PhD, MCIWEM C.WEM) is a coastal and fluvial geomorphologist, with 18 years of consulting and research experience. Sally has been responsible for the Water Environment chapters for several EIAs for mixed use developments, wind farms and powerlines and has also been involved in numerous flood risk assessments and geomorphology studies. She is an experienced river and coastal geomorphologist who has advised on numerous river restoration and coastal development projects. Sally was the lead author of the East Lothian Shoreline Management Plan and the Skinflats Managed Re-alignment technical studies and has recently carried out coastal geomorphology assessments for the Kirkcaldy and Inverkeithing shorelines. Sally obtained a PhD for her work on the River Spey estuary in northern Scotland. Her research considered the effect of the interaction of river flows and shoreline sediment transport on the sediment budget of the Spey Estuary.

Callum Anderson (BEng) Callum is a civil engineer specialising in hydrology and hydraulic modelling. Currently, he is a technical director in the field of flood risk management, with over 11 years of professional experience both in the water industry and public sector. After completing a masters in flood risk management, Callum joined the strategic drainage department in Glasgow City Council as a graduate engineer. During his time at the council, Callum was responsible for developing and managing drainage policies as well as contributing to major flood risk projects. Callum was also responsible for consulting on the assessment of flood risk for planning applications. Over the last 10 years, Callum has been involved in over 300 flood modelling studies using 1D and 2D modelling and mapping techniques. Callum has gained a breadth of specialist technical knowledge in both coastal and fluvial hydraulic modelling. Callum has set up and calibrated several integrated 1D/2D river-floodplain models, including River Cree in Newton Stewart, River Almond in Almondbank and River Kelvin. Callum has also been involved in a number of coastal applications including modelling sediment transport processes using MIKE 21 software for a proposed dredging application at Rosyth Container Terminal. Callum is also knowledgeable with respect to environmental impact assessments and has contributed to the water chapters of environmental impact assessments. Callum is responsible for managing and delivering individual flood risk projects including key client engagement and management of financial budgets and project deadlines.

Dr Callum Pearson (BSc, MRes, PhD) is as a hydrologist/modeller and has re-joined Kaya Consulting after recently completing his PhD at Durham University. Through time spent in both academia and industry he has developed extensive experience in undertaking hydrological and modelling studies in both data-rich and data-poor environments.

At Kaya, Callum has been involved in numerous flood risk assessments and hydrological impact assessments for sites and rivers both in the UK and around the world. Callum has been involved in hydrological impact assessments and baseline studies for several mining sites located in the UK, Kenya and Finland. From a modelling perspective Callum has been involved in building complex 1D, 2D and linked hydrological models and detailed GIS analysis for flood risk assessments.

Callum’s PhD research involved the creation of an end-to-end modelling approach that assessed flood management solutions at both the landscape-scale (catchment-scale hydrological modelling) and local-scale (2D inundation modelling). The project also involved extensive overseas fieldwork in Nepal and engagement with local stakeholders. Callum graduated with a First-Class honours from the University of Glasgow in 2014. He then completed an MRes at Durham University exploring the potential to reduce flood risk through catchment-based land management techniques and interventions.

Dr Yusuf Kaya (BSc, PhD, CEng, MICE) is a chartered civil engineer by profession and is a well-known expert in mathematical modelling and flood risk management within the UK. Before forming Kaya Consulting Limited in 2004, Yusuf managed all modelling and flood risk assessment and management work for Babtie Group in Scotland. Yusuf has over 30 years of experience in mathematical modelling of rivers, estuaries and coastal waters. Modelling tools used vary from simple one-dimensional steady state to two- and three-dimensional dynamic models. These include Hec-RAS, Floodtide, Mike11, Mike21, Isis, Divast, Flofield/Dispol, CE-QUAL-W2, and Yusuf also has considerable experience in hydrological analysis using FEH methodologies and catchment modelling. He has also been involved in a number of coastal process and harbour siltation studies, many of which involved modelling of waves, currents, and sediment transport. His experience covers all types of flooding including fluvial, coastal, estuarine, overland (pluvial), and sewer. He has provided expert advice on flooding issues to a number of organisations and acted as expert witness at public inquiries.

Yusuf retired in late 2021 but remains with the company as a Senior Consultant providing expert advice and guidance.

Glen Perez-Livermore (MA (Hons), MSc, MCIWEM C.WEM) is a hydrologist & hydraulic modeller with over 7 years’ professional experience.

Glen is a graduate of the University of Dundee where he completed an MA (Hons) in Geography followed by an MSc in Catchment Hydrology & Management.

Glen has been involved in over 100 Flood Risk Assessments for sites across Scotland, the rest of the UK and Ireland. He has extensive experience of estimating river flows and developing hydraulic models of rivers using 1D and 2D techniques in Flood Modeller and HEC-RAS.

He also has experience leading the modelling for Flood Studies to support Flood Prevention Schemes. He has undertaken modelling for a number of river restoration projects including the realignment of watercourses, the removal of weirs and improvement works to bridges. Glen also has experience of modelling surface water flooding using rainfall—runoff modelling.

Glen has led a number of peat assessments for diverse projects such as wind farms, substations and rural residential development. He has also led the water component of Environmental Impact Assessments and Environmental Statements.

Natalie Robson (M.Eng, MSc) is a graduate of Strathclyde University where she completed a Masters in Engineering. She worked in industry for a number of years before returning to complete a MSc in Water and Environmental Management with distinction at Herriot Watt University. Natalie joined Kaya Consulting in August 2017 and has led numerous flood risk management projects and modelling studies. Coupled with her engineering background, she has gained a wealth of experience in modelling in 1D and 2D in HEC-RAS and Flood Modeller, including flood mapping and using GIS. She is experienced in detailed hydrological analysis using a range of methodologies from IH124 to ReFH2 to the FEH Statistical Method, using software such as FEH-WINFAP. Now Kaya’s Senior Hydraulic Modeller and Flooding Engineer, she has developed into an expert flood modeller and has implemented a range of methods of hydrological monitoring in the UK and abroad, and is currently working towards Chartered Engineer status.

Lee Ruddick (BSc, MSc) is a graduate modeller and hydrologist having recently finished his Masters degree in Hydrology and Water Management at the University of Newcastle where he specialised in flood risk management. Lee has been involved in a variety of projects at Kaya Consulting, predominately flood risk assessments and drainage strategies for housing, solar farms, and mining developments across the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Lee has experience with 1D, 2D and 1D-2D coupled hydraulic models, deriving design flows through hydrological analysis and modelling, GIS/Data manipulation and report writing.

Julian Scott (MA) is a graduate hydrologist and environmental scientist in our team. After graduating from Dundee University with an honours degree in Geography, where he specialised in hydrology and field hydrometry, Julian worked for Perth and Kinross Council’s flooding team and was actively involved in the council’s mitigation of and response to flood risk. Since joining Kaya Consulting in 2020 he has become involved in a range of work within the company including drainage design, flood modelling, water quality analysis and peat scoping fieldwork.

Cairns Harrison (BSc, MSc) is a graduate hydrologist/environmental scientist with a Bachelor’s and a Masters (by Research) degree in Earth Sciences, who has recently joined Kaya in January 2021. Cairns is currently responsible for assisting in managing and delivering several flood risk assessments, using 1D and 2D modelling techniques as well as gathering and incorporating data from site visits.
His masters research focused on climate reconstruction, predominantly with the use of biomarkers, alongside other inorganic proxies from sediment cores, in Lake Qinghai, Yunnan Province, Southern China. This research was undertaken to aid in the future prediction of the Indian Summer Monsoon and consequent flooding severity in the region by reconstructing climate conditions throughout the Holocene period. He also has considerable mapping experience having undertaken numerous geological mapping excursions in north-west Scotland throughout his undergraduate degree, including a 5-week mapping dissertation covering 9km2 of the Central Igneous Complex on the Isle of Rum.

Michael MacDonald, MSc R, is a graduate hydrologist and environmental scientist with approximately 3 years of experience comprised of catchment management, flood risk hydrology and nature restoration.

Since joining Kaya, Michael has been involved in numerous flood risk assessments, developing skills in peak flow estimation and hydraulic modelling. In addition, Michael has contributed to energy infrastructure and river restoration projects through data collection and GIS visualisation. Michael has developed significantly in peatland restoration feasibility and design through formal training and experience which augments learning from his MSc R, which focussed on hydrological analysis of data sparse, upland peat catchments.

Prior to joining Kaya Consulting in 2022, Michael worked as an Assistant Biologist for the Spey Fishery Board, specialising in freshwater ecology and fluvial geomorphology with an emphasis on salmonid habitat preservation and enhancement. Additionally, Michael worked as a field technician for cbec Eco-Engineering, contributing vital topographical, bathymetrical, and geomorphological data to high profile river restoration and infrastructure projects.

David Jalil (BSc, MSc) is a recent addition to Kaya Consulting. After achieving a 1^st class honours in BSc Chemistry from University College Cork, Ireland, David moved to Edinburgh in 2021 to begin a career in the environmental sector. He joined Kaya Consulting in 2023 while completing an MSc in Applied Environmental Hydrogeology from the University of Edinburgh. David’s MSc has given him a firm skillset in 1- and 2-D modelling, geographic information systems and water resource management. His MSc dissertation focused on natural flood management and carbon sequestration. While studying, he has worked with environmental consultancies and river trusts across Scotland to build a strong fieldwork background in sample collection, peat surveys and ecological surveys. Since joining Kaya Consulting, he has built on his modelling and report writing skills and is looking forward to further expanding his abilities in all aspects of the work carried out by the company.